This is the way we live–Orphanage Life–video

It has been a difficult week for me. Our family’s adoption process seems to be dragging on at a snail’s pace. It’s been 173 days since I last saw Sasha and 408 since he’s last been with our whole family. I want him home as soon as possible.

For the past couple of weeks, some friends of our family have been visiting Sasha’s orphanage. We are so blessed that they have gotten to spend a lot of time with him. They’ve gotten to remind him how much we love him and give him many hugs from us.

They’ve also given us special insight into his life at the boarding school. We will never know what it’s really like, but the observations and experiences they have shared with us have been very eye-opening. This is not a cheery, fun summer camp that lasts all year round that we wish it could be.

Our boy has begun to remove himself from his life at the orphanage. He’s ready to move on and be with us. This is not an easy thing to do, since this is the only family he has ever known. There is opposition, challenges, people who flat out don’t like it and don’t want the adoptions to happen. Sasha misses us and wants to be home with us so badly. He is so strong to have made it this far. Please say a prayer for him that he can keep holding on.

Below is a video clip from the movie “Italianetz”. It shows a very realistic snapshot of life in an orphanage, specifically the chain of command. Kolyan, the teen in the black cutoff shirt, rules the orphanage. The clip opens with another teen turning in the goods he has acquired on a stealing spree. Next, in comes Ira, another orphan girl who turns in her money from a recent prostituting job. Finally, in comes Vanya, a young boy who is getting adopted, who turns in the candy that was given to him by the Italian family who was adopting him. All the teens could do as they please, sitting around smoking, drinking, without any adult supervision. Everyone in the home – boy, girl, young, and old – had to obey Kolyan’s demands. They had to pledge their authority to him, or there was a high price to pay.

This is the sad reality for countless orphanages across Eastern Europe, and very likely around the world.

Clip from the Russian film “The Italian”

Father to the fatherless, defender of widows —this is God, whose dwelling is holy. God places the lonely in families… Psalm 68:5-6a (NLT)